With great ambitions and full of euphoria, the German triathletes start their competitions at the European Championships in Munich, which begin on Friday (08/12/2022). Laura Lindemann is considered the greatest hope for a medal in the DTU team.
Even an hour after the bike training session in the Olympic Park, Jonas Schaumburg couldn’t help but be amazed. “Even when we warmed up, the atmosphere was better than in most races. They shouted ‘Germany, Germany’ and waved flags. That was awesome!”, said the Olympic participant from Hanover. And Sprint European Champion Valentin Wernz was flabbergasted after inspecting the track: “We’ve never had that before.”
The heart of the multi-event beats in the Olympic Park
After the brilliant opening ceremony of the European Championships the evening before, when the site even had to be closed due to overcrowding, the Olympic Park was packed again on Thursday afternoon. Families, sports fans, the curious – this is where the heart of the multi-event beats. And this is also where the triathletes hold their competitions. In the middle of the action. On the salver. With free entry and full seats. “It’s going to be a triathlon dream,” enthused Wernz, who is scheduled for the mixed relay on Sunday.
The women will serve on Friday (4:55 p.m. in the live stream here at sportschau.de), followed by the men’s race on Saturday (4 p.m.) before the mixed relay (6 p.m.) concludes the triathlon competitions. “In terms of potential, we can be at the forefront in all categories,” said national coach Louis Delahaye, who comes from the Netherlands, in an ARD interview.
Lindemann would be “dissatisfied without a medal”
The biggest hope in the 13-strong team is once again Laura Lindemann. Falling four years ago at the premiere of the European Championships in Glasgow and finishing fourth, the 26-year-old should do better this time: “I would be dissatisfied if I didn’t get a medal,” she confessed in an interview with Sportschau.de .
The girl from Potsdam already knows the feeling of being a European champion. Last year she won the sprint distance in Kitzbühel for the second time after 2017, now the next medal should follow on the Olympic distance (1.5 km swimming, 40 km cycling, 10 km running) in front of her home crowd. In addition to the Olympic eighth and German champion, Lisa Tertsch in particular has good prospects of a top placement from a German point of view.
Mixed relay pays off
And in the mixed relay, too, Lindemann should lead the German team to the podium – there was silver at the last two European Championships. The top favorite for the title is world champion France. The German team won the mixed relay race this year in Leeds and took third place in Hamburg – despite two time penalties.
Olympiaberg should become a magic mountain
A specialty of the Munich circuit could play Lindemann in the cards in the individual classification: For the first time at the championships, the Olympiaberg, heaped up between 1948 and 1957 from the rubble and ruins of the Second World War, will become a sports facility. Four times the athletes have to cope with the 60 m long toxic climb in the 10 km run, which later becomes a bike course for the relays.
Exhausting affair: the Olympiaberg (l.).
At the level of Livigno and St. Moritz, the German EM starters have prepared for the challenge. “It’s getting pretty high there. That will be the sticking point, anything can happen,” predicts Tim Hellwig, U23 Vice World Champion over the 2021 Olympic distance.
Running gets tough. You shouldn’t overpace and want to run with the hell out of it. Otherwise you’ll end up on the mountain for the third time.
Not everyone on the team is up for the challenge. Lindemann does: “I’m looking forward to the route and the mountain,” says the strong-running girl from Potsdam, for whom the Olympiaberg can become a magic mountain. For the 2020 World Cup third, who also excels in swimming, one thing counts above all: “The main thing is to be the first on the running track.”
“It’s going to be really cool”
Then it is important to remain calm. Rely on your own gifts. And to the home audience at the multi-sport event. Lührs: “It’s going to be really cool. The aura of the European Championships with several sports is different. I’m very happy that we triathletes can be there.” And not just there, but right in the middle. In the Olympic Park. In imperial weather. In front of a home crowd. National coach Delahaye: “It must be fantastic for the German athletes to start in front of such a backdrop.”